Secret City of Southend
Regular price
€19.99
Southend-on-Sea was only developed in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries, when it became a popular seaside resort, but behind its façade lie many little-known and fascinating stories. In Secret City of Southend, author Ian Yearsley reveals the history beneath the surface of Southend from its eight historic parishes to the present-day commercial centre. Amongst the topics covered are the old parish boundary markers that can be found today, what the various street names reveal about the times when they were built, the tramway and boulevard systems, the key role played by the town in the Second World War and the relics of wartime that still survive, the redevelopment of the town centre in the 1960s and 1970s, the blue plaques to famous locals – and much more.
With tales of remarkable characters, unusual events and tucked-away or disappeared historical buildings and locations, Secret City of Southend will appeal to all those with an interest in the history of this town in Essex.
Ian is the author of 14 books and four map narratives about the history of Essex and eight books in other genres that draw on Essex for inspiration. His history books include Secret City of Southend (2022), Southend in 50 Buildings (2016) and A History of Southend (hardback 2001, paperback 2010). His first book, Islands of Essex, was published in 1994. Throughout the 1990s, Ian wrote history articles for a number of county magazines, including Essex Countryside (as was) and This Month in Essex. He has an MA in History (with distinction) from the University of Essex (2011) for which he won a prize for his dissertation on population migration in the Rochford Hundred in the late 19th-century. In 2019-21 Ian worked as a historical consultant on a project to create a heritage tapestry celebrating 1,000 years of the history of Rochford District. He has also contributed several chapters to a forthcoming volume of the prestigious Victoria County History series about Southend.